Osomatsu-kun (1988 anime)
Osomatsu-kun '(おそ松くん) is a second, 1988 anime adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka's manga. It was produced by Studio Pierrot, and ran on Fuji TV from February 13, 1988 to December 30, 1989. It was the first of the late 1980s "Akatsuka strategy" projects that were devised through the collaboration of Fuji TV, Kodansha, and Yomiko Advertising in an attempt to rival and emulate the success of the earlier "Fujiko Fujio wave" of adaptations. It is sometimes referred to by fans as "New Osomatsu-kun" or "Heisei edition Osomatsu-kun", to help differentiate it from the earlier 1966 adaptation by Childrens' Corner and Studio Zero. Overview The "Akatsuka strategy" behind this adaptation and others to come would involve the concept of "Media mix", where new manga would be produced to run alongside the animated adaptation and Kodansha would also re-issue the older manga for both new and old fans to buy. Akatsuka would not be directly involved with the adaptation, with him and his staff instead focusing on the manga for Comic BomBom and TV Magazine and telling their story while the anime creative team would tell their own. A pilot film was produced by Pierrot in late 1987, loosely adapting the first chapter of the manga and a chapter from the Shonen King run, as well as including "highlights" of what to expect in the series (featuring concepts that would be adapted in episodes 2, 3, and 4). Early promotional images and merchandise for the show sometimes utilize artwork from this stage, and include a giant brown crocodile that was also a motif used by Pierrot in the pilot film. As the actual series went into production, the choice was made to give Iyami and Chibita emphasis as the lead characters, as they had been since the late Shonen Sunday run and as Iyami had been since the Shonen King run. A number of writers from Tatsunoko Productions were hired for the project, that would specialize in surrealist comedy. Multiple changes were made in adapting stories, to reflect the re-organized priorities with characters as well as to update them for the 1980s. Some episodes would also include blatant pop-culture references to keep the show current with the new trends of the time: * Choromatsu references the comedy duo "Somenosuke Sometaro" in a gag in episode 14, when sticking his teeth out. * Hikaru Genji was referenced in episode 23 as a boy band that Totoko has a ticket to the concert of, while the sextuplets attempt to emulate their roller-skating in episode 41. * Totoko can be heard to use the idol Noriko Sakai's "Nori-P" style slang in her dialogue at multiple occasions. She also sings Seiko Matsuda's "Sweet Memories" in episode 41. * The Matsuno brothers briefly sing the song "The Old Man of Yamadera" when kicking Chibita about in episode 48. * TV show personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi and her show "The Best Ten" are parodied in the ''Greetings from the Watermelon Planet movie and episode 69. The hentai Cream Lemon ''is also referenced via an in-joke in the same episode, with the protagonist Ami Nonomura's name being seen as an idol on the latest singles list. * Iyami briefly runs into the stand-up duo Ucchan Nancchan in episode 80. Although the overall character designs and animation may vary by the art staff and animation director for given episodes, there is noticeable evolution in these aspects after the mid-point of the series; the character designs in earlier episodes were often consciously drawn to be closer to the manga when it came to overall proportions, while later episodes relied on more stylized and simplified rounder designs that worked for more fluid animation. The differences and evolution in the characters' appearances over the run of the series can be apparent with the recap episode 85 and its use of flashbacks, as well as how the opening and ending sequences never changed. Relationship with other Akatsuka works This adaptation is notable in how it employs Akatsuka's Star System and brings in characters from both ''The[[The Genius Bakabon| Genius Bakabon]] and Extraordinary Ataro as recurring cast members, before either series would have another adaptation. The first 19 episodes notably feature Bakabon's Police Officer with Connected Eyes, as well as Rerere, but they were abruptly retired afterwards and do not appear any further outside of flashback footage or the unchanged opening and ending sequences. It is figured this was due to Pierrot putting in plans to adapt that series later after -kun, or that TMS' proposed New Genius Bakabon project held up their usage before it ultimately failed to materialize. Nyarome, Kemunpas, and Beshi from'' Ataro were also used in more minor roles, often providing exposition for the viewers, and the Dogs of Night from ''Bakabon would appear to mark scene changes. A later policeman character, created to replace the previous officer, was based upon a character named Kaoru-chan from some of Akatsuka's works; although credited in the scripts as that name, it was his doll that also received the "Kaoru-chan" name and would only be visible as such in the actual anime, where the officer would once introduce himself as "Katsumi Yatsugashira". He had a much different design and gimmick compared to the one with the connected eyes, but would still be voiced by Shigeru Chiba and would still bear a trigger-happy attitude. Although this anime did very well in the ratings, the decision was made for Pierrot's Heisei Genius Bakabon to run next in -kun's timeslot, and the production wrapped up with 86 episodes, with many staff members having already made the transition to the next series. The plans for Toei Animation's new Ataro series may have also contributed to the end, as Nyarome, Kemunpas, and Beshi would now have the rights for their characters transferred to the company. Heisei Genius Bakabon ''would start airing the week after, and would showcase occasional cameos of -kun characters as a way of tying the two series together; Chibita would appear sporadically in non-speaking cameos, Bakabon attended "Akatsuka Elementary", and Totoko could briefly be seen as part of his class. Other- kun cameos and references were also made over the course of the series. Staff * Original manga- Fujio Akatsuka * Manga published in- Comic Bombom, TV Magazine, Fun Kindergarten, Otomodachi (Kodansha) * Planning - Kazuo Shimamura (Yomiko) * Series composition- Hiroyuki Hoshiyama (uncredited) * Character design - Yoshiyuki Kishi * Producers- Yuji Nunokawa (Studio Pierrot), Kenji Shimizu (Fuji TV), Kyotaro Kimura (Yomiko) * Assistant Producer- Masahiro Suzuki * Director- Akira Shigino * Screenplay- Hiroyuki Hoshiyama, Yoshio Urasawa, Sukehiro Tomita, Keiji Terui, Miho Maruo, Isao Shizutani, Kazuhisa Sakaguchi, Kazuhito Hisashima, Yutaka Hiroota * Music- Yusuke Honma * Sound Director- Kan Mizumoto * Animation Production- Studio Pierrot * Opening and Ending Animation Director- Tsutomu Shibayama * Art Director- Shichiro Kobayashi (1-35), Setsuko Ishizu (36-86) * Director of Photography- Hirofumi Takahashi * Production - Fuji TV, Yomiko, Studio Pierrot * Broadcaster- Fuji TV Voice Cast * Osomatsu- Yō Inoue * Iyami- Kaneta Kimotsuki * Chibita- Mayumi Tanaka * Hatabō, Karamatsu- Mari Mashiba * Mother, Ichimatsu*- Mari Yokoo * Totoko, Jyushimatsu- Naoko Matsui * Choromatsu- Rica Matsumoto * Todomatsu- Megumi Hayashibara * Father, Beshi- Tetsuo Mizutori * Dekapan- Toru Ohira * Dayōn, Kemunpas- Takuzo Kamiyama, Kenichi Ogata (episodes 80-83) * The Police Officer with the Connected Eyes, Officer Yatsugashira, Nyarome, Rerere- Shigeru Chiba * Additional Voices by- Minoru Inaba, Kumiko Takizawa, Eken Mine, Masashi Hirose, Maria Kawamura, Kenichi Ogata, Miyoko Shoji, Isamu Tanonaka, Tessho Genda, Chika Sakamoto, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Hiroko Maruyama, Yoshiko Ota, Masaru Ikeda, Katsumi Suzuki, Shozo Iizuka, Chie Kojiro, Yoko Asagami, Yoko Yano, Kosei Tomita, Junichi Sugawara As some actors covered multiple roles, only the characters they had more lines for in an episode would often be the ones to receive billing in the credits. However, sometimes mistakes would be made, and characters that did not appear would have their names in the credits when an actor was meant to be credited for another role that they performed. In the case of the performers with multiple characters, the first characters listed above are the ones that usually received credit. Though Studio Pierrot's catalog and more recent materials about the show identify Mari Yokoo as Ichimatsu's regular actress, this is not usually the case as he was very often a doubled role for another sextuplet actress, with Yokoo only being used by the mid-point of the series; previous Ichimatsu lines were provided by Megumi Hayashibara, Mari Mashiba, Naoko Matsui or Rica Matsumoto. Even after Yokoo began being billed as Ichimatsu in the credits, there were still occasions when the character would be voiced by another actress (due to Yokoo already voicing the mother, or for other reasons). There are other notable instances in the series where other sextuplets will be played by each others' actresses, if the usual one is unavailable for certain lines. Program Sponsors * Morinaga (Candy) * TOMY (Toys) * Marumiya (Curry) * Marushin Foods (Sausages) * Kodansha (Manga) * Acecook (Ramen) * SEGA (Video Games) Theme Song Opening theme '"Traditional Osomatsu Song" (正調 おそ松節) Lyrics- Yasushi Akimoto/Composer- Akira Mitake/Arrangement- Koji Ryuzaki/Singer- Takashi Hosokawa This theme is also used for the productions outside the series, except for the crossover special with Bakabon. Though Iyami is seen representing the "salaryman" in the opening, the first stanza is meant to refer to the sextuplets' father, with the later portions of the song (only heard in full version) referring to the mother and dumb children of the family. The lyrics heard in the opening get referenced and parodied themselves often in the show, with characters heard singing them, Matsuzo shouting "Your dad is, Your dad is-!?" (to the point where it's even an episode title), or the final episode having the characters sing new lyrics about living in the USA. Lyrics Ending theme "Osomatsu-kun Ondo" (おそ松くん音頭) Lyrics- Yukinoji Mori/Composer- Daizaburou Nakayama/Singer- Takashi Hosokawa The ending theme for all episodes and works related to the series, except the Bakabon crossover. The message behind the ondo is how even if some things about characters may be changed, it will all remain the same. The lyrics heard in the TV-sized version only relate to the sextuplets, and establish a birth order hierarchy close to what Fujio Pro and Osomatsu-san would use (except for Jyushimatsu and Todomatsu being switched around, making Jyushimatsu fall last in the song). Lyrics Episode List Other Animated Content Note: All of these features except the traffic safety short and pilot film have been re-released on the 2011 Fujio Akatsuka movie and OVA DVD collection. Unaired Pilot Film As mentioned in the overview, a short "proof of concept" pilot episode was animated by Pierrot as a demonstration to Fuji TV and sponsors on how the series would be, and it essentially exists as a rough draft of the very first episode. Some merchandise, such as early activity books and posters, reference the events and character designs of the pilot and provide some rare insight into what it was like. The decision was ultimately made to merge the two different skits' plots into one overarching plot, with Iyami replacing the two burglars in an attempt to rob the sextuplets' house after his salesman scheme failed (and then having the tooth medicine incident happen afterwards). The film then previews the plots of episodes 2, 3, and 4, which would be adapted with their own differences for the actual show. It is unknown if the voice cast was set in place at this point, or if there were any different actors that were tested in the pilot. New Years' Eve Special: "Go For It! Chibita's Oni War" Main article: Osomatsu-kun: Go For It! Chibita's Oni War This special episode aired December 31, 1988 on Fuji TV. In it, the cast re-enact old fairy tales, but it is the Momotaro legend that takes center stage with Chibita in the title role. Theatrical Film: "Greetings from the Watermelon Planet!" Main article: Osomatsu-kun: Greetings from the Watermelon Planet! A theatrically-screened, episode-length short titled Osomatsu-kun: Greetings from the Watermelon Planet! was screened at the Toei Manga Movie Festival on March 18, 1989, appearing alongside films of Toei's Saint Seiya and Akko-chan ''(which both received brief parodies in it). The short is a loose adaptation of the '"The Watermelon Planet Appears"' chapter from the Shonen Sunday run of the manga, with the Watermelon Aliens attempting a takeover of Earth. Traffic Safety Film In 1989, a 15-minute short film titled '''Boy Traffic Officer' Osomatsu-kun (おそ松くんの少年交通お巡りさん) was produced by Studio Pierrot, and screened at schools as an educational film for teaching children about traffic safety.Traffic Safety Films, Library of Isahaya, Nagasaki. A copy of the film is stored here. It has not been released in any home media, likely due to its purpose of being a PSA. OVA: "Iyami Alone in the Wind" Main article: Osomatsu-kun: Iyami Alone in the Wind When the decision was made to wrap up the Osomatsu-kun series, the plans to adapt the "Iyami Alone in the Wind" chapter as an episode were pushed back and it was withheld from the anime itself. However, it would instead be produced as an OVA special, being released on VHS on August 25, 1990. Bakabon Crossover TV Special Main article: Bakabon: The 3000 Mile Quest For Osomatsu's Curry In October 1991, Pierrot would produce a 2-part TV special that would air on Fuji TV, crossing over both its ended Osomatsu-kun and Heisei Genius Bakabon series for one final appearance; "Bakabon: The 3000 Mile Quest for Osomatsu's Curry" (バカボン・おそ松のカレーをたずねて三千里) The characters meet in a re-enactment of "Journey to the West", as Bakabon and Papa go on an adventure to find curry to bring home and meet Chibita as Son Goku (as he had played before in episodes 64 and 65). Overseas Broadcast and Adaptations See also: List of foreign dub names for characters in Osomatsu-kun This specific adaptation has been imported overseas to various countries, experiencing varying levels of success and recognition. The dubs listed below only apply to the TV series, as the specials fall under separate licenses and were either unable to be acquired or there was a lack of interest in doing so. Hong Kong A Cantonese-dubbed version, titled 我係西瓜刨 '(Wo xi Xī Guā-páo, "I am Sai Gwa-pau"), was broadcast on Asia Television in 1990. The title refers to Iyami, who was renamed Sai Gwa-pau ("Watermelon Slice") in the dub and marketed as the lead character. He was named such due to his overbite, similarly to the Hong Kong film actor who had such a stage name. This dub has never been released on home video, and it is questionable if the film masters still exist (it was re-run on ATV up until around 1997). Taiwan In 1996, JET TV Taiwan broadcast a Mandarin Chinese dub under the title '小松君 (Xiǎo-sōng jūn/"Komatsu-kun"). This dub has also not made it to any home video release, and was seemingly never re-aired after its original broadcast. Spain Main article: Cosas de Locos The series was licensed in 2005 by Jonu Media, along with Heisei Genius Bakabon and Rerere's Genius Bakabon as a package deal with Pierrot. The three series were combined into one 156-episode program, re-titled "Cosas de Locos" ("Crazy Things") for the Castilian market. A Galician version called "Cousas de Tolos", a''' Valencian version '''"Coses de Grillats", and a Basque version''' "Zoroak Zoro"' were produced simultaneously. The overall humor of the series was often localized to better appeal to Spaniards, with celebrity references being changed to be more recognizable. Some characters also underwent name changes to either make puns off of their design, or to insert Spanish adult innuendo. Other than this, many characters' names stayed intact. The dub has since been released on four DVD box-sets, with both the Castilian Spanish and Japanese audio tracks available. ''Cousas de Tolos, Zoroak Zoro, and Coses de Grillats remain obscure without home video release. India A Hindi dub commenced airing on Hungama TV on March 28, 2011. It covered the entire series, and had Hindi versions of the songs, but did not re-appear on the network after its original broadcast completed. It has not had any home video release. South Korea A Korean dub, 육가네6쌍둥이("The Yuk Family's Sextuplets") was aired on Cartoon Network Korea starting in June 2012, and has been rerun sporadically since through the years, especially due to the emergence of Osomatsu-san. All 86 episodes were translated, although the adaptation underwent paint edits and censorship to localize it for the network's standards as well as adapt it into a fully Korean format. All of the characters are renamed as well. It has yet to get a video release, although it is questionable as many Korean dubs never receive these and often only air on TV. References External Links * Entry on Studio Pierrot's animation catalog (Japanese). English translated version Category:Anime Adaptations Category:Osomatsu-kun